Cabinet considered the report of the head of planning on changes to the government’s neighbourhood planning grants. The level of government funding for each successful plan had been reduced but grants were available for reviews or modifications of neighbourhood plans until 2020. The report sought approval to extend the current support to community groups preparing revised neighbourhood plans.
Cabinet discussed the option of extending the grant scheme to community groups preparing revised neighbourhood plans. Cabinet concluded that this would be beneficial as it would encourage neighbourhood plan reviews to keep plans up to date with the latest housing needs evidence. Cabinet asked that the neighbourhood planning grants funding was kept under review. Cabinet also asked officers to further review the level of support to neighbourhood planning groups.
RESOLVED: to
(a) extend the current district grant support (Market Towns £15,000; Larger Villages £10,000 and Smaller Villages £5,000) to community groups preparing revised neighbourhood plans, subject to:
(i) the head of planning being satisfied that a review of the neighbourhood plan is necessary; and
(ii) the community group submitting a project plan and associated costings.
(b) agree that these changes will take effect on 14 August 2017; and
(c) agree that a review of the neighbourhood planning district grant funding should take place annually, which would compare expenditure forecast against actual spend, and be reported to Cabinet, starting at the end of this financial year (2017/18).